Grizzlies roaming east valley

The Daily Inter Lake

Between Lake Blaine and Swan Lake, at least 15 bears tallied

Three chicken-killing grizzly bears were captured in the Foothills Road area east of Kalispell.

The 230-pound, 8-year-old female and two yearlings were relocated to the Spotted Bear River drainage on Monday by Tim Manley, a grizzly bear management specialist with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

The bears had killed chickens at a Foothills Road home, prompting the efforts to capture them.

The property owners now are installing electric fencing to discourage future bear problems.

Manley urges people who live in bear habitat to secure garbage, bird feeders and other potential bear attractants.

He said there are currently at least 15 grizzly bears in the valley between Lake Blaine and Swan Lake, and he speculates that bears are seeking the lower elevation green-up for food sources.

Separately, an investigator for the state wildlife agency is seeking information about the death of a grizzly bear north of Columbia Falls.

Fish, Wildlife and Parks said the bear carcass found on May 1 had been gutted and skinned.

Grizzly bears are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Warden Chris Crane is investigating the bear's death.